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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, April 14, 2006

Forums to explain Medicare drug plans

Advertiser Staff

Senior citizens who are sifting through their options for Medicare's upcoming prescription drug program can hear from federal and state officials and five plan providers at a series of workshops throughout the Islands.

The forums, organized by AARP Hawaii, are intended to help senior citizens prepare before the May 15 enrollment deadline for what Medicare officials are calling the most important change in the program's 40-year history.

Forms will be available in Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Japanese, Ilocano and Tagalog to help seniors compare differences among various plans. The sessions themselves will be conducted in English.

Experts will be attending the forums from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Executive Office on Aging Sage PLUS program and Social Security Administration. Representatives from United Healthcare, AlohaCare, HMSA 65 C+, Kaiser Permanente and Secure Horizons are also scheduled to attend.

The sessions will be held:

  • 9 a.m. to noon, Monday in Kailua, Kona at the King Kamehameha Hotel.

  • 9 a.m. to noon, Tuesday in Waikiki at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom.

  • 9 a.m. to noon, Wednesday in Wailuku at the Maui Tropical Plantation.

  • 9 a.m. to noon, next Friday in Hilo at the Naniloa Volcanoes Resort.